Royal Mansour Marrakech takes it to the next level

The hotel commissioned by the King of Morocco that also houses his visiting personal guests, gets an all-new extension called Le Jardin.

The hotel commissioned by the King of Morocco that also houses his visiting personal guests, gets an all-new extension called Le Jardin.

Morocco remains one of those few Mediterranean countries whose path to modernisation hasn’t come at the expense of its old-world native charm. Take its fourth largest city, Marrakech, for example. The souks, the most widely visited of which is the Jemaa el-Fnaa, is where even today you can find snake charmers, story tellers and handicrafts made using the same techniques that have been passed down for generations. But as a tourist hotspot, Marrakech also offers modern amenities to those visiting, best embodied in the ultra-luxury hotels that have set up camp in the historic city.

Chief among them is the Royal Mansour Marrakech, commissioned by King Mohammed VI. This 5-star retreat is located between the Ville nouvelle (new town) and the historic city centre – a fact that is reflected in the 53 private riads (traditional Moroccan villas) – each decorated with the finest crystal, carpets and interiors from Lalique, Baccarat and Venice. This hotel often hosts the King’s guests, so expect character, service and privacy to match that stature. The hotel already boasted of a library, art gallery and a luxury hammam. And starting from next month, they’ve expanded the hotel. There is an all-new garden within this property landscaped by Spanish designer Luis Vallejo that is spread across one-and-a-half hectare. In addition to the garden, there will be a pool, a bar and also a new restaurant. This new extension of the hotel is called the Le Jardin.

Le Jardin, Royal Mansour Marrakech

The garden that pays tribute to Morocco’s agrarian landscapes and had a full-fledged team of engineers, botanists and agronomists collaborate on the project. The Arab-Andalusian garden is filled with date, olive and palm trees, punctuated with ponds that recall ancient agrarian irrigation systems. Apart from the beautiful visual impact of the geometric shapes worked into the landscape, close attention has been paid to another sensory aspect of the garden – its smell. While the daturas and scented orang-flower will emit distinct smells, the night-blooming jasmine is what you will smell if strolling through the garden at night.

The new 30×20 metre pool also has a few cabins alongside for those who want a little more privacy. Chef Yannick Alléno, the man behind Paris’ reputable Le Meurice, opens the hotel’s fourth restaurant in Le Jardin. There are 60 new dishes on the menu that reinforce the theme of slow cooking and local ingredients with Mediterranean influences.

The newly developed real estate within this top-notch hotel will be open to guests starting December 4. You know just where you want to be at this Christmas vacation.